We, Frans Adryaenszoon van Leeuwen and Willem Govertszoon van der Aer, aldermen, declare that there appeared before us Willem Robintszoon, Englishman, leather-dresser, who declared that he had bought from Cornelis Gijsbrechtszoon van Groenendael, carpenter, a newly built house and yard standing and situated within this city on the south side of the Nieuwestraat, running along the Groenehasengracht, being a part of the rearmost archery grounds (doelen), bordered on the one side by Willem de Jepsin, likewise an Englishman, and on the other side by the aforesaid Cornelis Gijsbrechtszoon, running in front from the aforesaid Nieuwestraat to the rear as far as the rearmost archery grounds.
The appearer acknowledged, over and above the burden of a ground rent of six guilders per year in free money left upon the aforesaid house and yard at his own charge, that he owed the aforesaid Cornelis Gijsbrechtszoon van Groenendael, on account of the said purchase, a sum of thirteen hundred guilders of 40 groats each, which he promised to pay in this manner: namely, at May-day of the year sixteen hundred and ten, at the taking of possession of the aforesaid house and yard, one hundred and fifty of the aforesaid guilders in cash, and thereafter yearly, each following May-day, one hundred guilders, except that in the last year fifty guilders [should be paid], continuing thus from year to year until the full payment of the aforesaid thirteen hundred guilders.
The appearer further promised, on his honour and good faith, in place of an oath, to pay all the aforesaid moneys in free money, without any deduction or reduction, whether for aids, subventions, assessments, land taxes, or other contributions of a hundredth, fiftieth, twentieth, tenth part or more or fewer pennies, however these might be named, and by whomever they have already been imposed and levied or shall be — even should it be declared by placard or otherwise that on these and similar purchase moneys a reduction or discount should or must be allowed — of all advantage and benefit of which he, the appearer, expressly renounced and waived hereby.
Further, there also appeared and came before us aldermen aforesaid the aforesaid Willem de Jespin, who hereby constituted and made himself surety for the debt and likewise as principal in this matter for the aforesaid Willem Robintszoon, both as concerns the discharge of the aforesaid ground rent of six guilders per year and the principal sum thereof, and also the free payment of the aforesaid thirteen hundred guilders — to which end he hereby waived and set aside the benefits of order and of execution, of the force and effect of which he declared himself fully informed — hereby binding, first, the aforesaid Willem Robintszoon specifically with the aforesaid house and yard, and further both appearers generally with all their respective goods, movable and immovable, present and future, none excepted.
The aforesaid Willem Robintszoon accordingly promised to release his aforesaid surety in this matter, under the same binding as above. In witness whereof this is confirmed with our seals, on the 28th of April of the year sixteen hundred and ten. Signed below: J. Swanenburch, and was sealed, etc.
Translation by Radicae, The Leiden Connection, from the Dutch transcription supplied by Erfgoed Leiden.
